Little Japan in Eureka closing shop...inventory on sale
After dining at Liu's Chinese restaurant this afternoon I jay-walked across 4th Street, as I often do, to see what was new at Little Japan. It's that small store/market on the southwest corner of 4th and D streets that sells tea, sake, rice, tempura batter, miso, teapots, sushi makings, sushi sets -- everything Japanese, from food to paper lanterns. I was saddened to learn the store is closing, as soon as the owner, whose name I regretfully don't remember (I should, I'm in there enough), can sell out his inventory.
I love this store, you find things there that you can't find anyplace else north of Sonoma County. Right now he's marking 20 percent off everything. Before I knew what happened, I had spent $50 on several items, including a cast iron green tea teapot set and several bags of loose genmiacha (green tea with toasted brown rice). If you depend on this store for provisions that cost too much elsewhere or are just not available in Eureka, I would make an effort to get there in the next day or two.
The owner said he is burned out on retail, running a small store mostly by himself. Hiring someone to work the store in his stead is not an option, because a lot of his customers depend on his knowledge for everything from how to properly brew tea to cooking specialty recipes.
I understand what he's talking about. I was always picking his brain; how long to cook tempura, how to make the best miso soup, the best brand of nori, green tea, wasabi. I think I will miss him as a resource even more than his shop. He says he might reopen in another location -- parking is difficult at the current store -- but won't handle food because of the work involved.
He is anticipating closing next week. So, again, get there quickly.
Comments
Damn. Yet another Marina Center casualty.
Posted by: Fred Mangels | March 8, 2008 06:45 AM
fred may be onto something.......the fact that a small handful of landowners own all of the commercial property in Humboldt County makes doing business very difficult..
that said, why is it more expensive per sq ft in eureka than it is in walnut creek or marin county for commercial space?
i am a business owner. $1 a sq ft is the average price for commercial property in humboldt county. if i were to move my business to the bay area or LA, i would incur lower rents and have more customers.
the price gouging that occurs here in eureka is due to lack of economic diversity. its called price fixing...
Posted by: theo therme | March 8, 2008 06:59 AM
You can no more call commercial property pricing price-fixing than you can call our high gasoline prices price-fixing. Oh.
Posted by: Seen it all | March 8, 2008 08:34 PM
seen it all, i agree. gas prices are a result of local price fixing in the same way that commercial real estate rentals are fixed....
if you disagree, please explain to me how eureka can sustain $1 a sq ft......
Posted by: theo therme | March 8, 2008 10:01 PM
Dear Theo, I am sorry to inform you that price-fixing in local gasoline has been happening since at least 1982. That is 26 years, and nothing has been done about it. None of our intrepid politicians at any level of government has challenged, much less actually busted the power of the local petrol cartel. So, don't get your hopes up about breaking the power of any other price-fixers around here. If past experience is truly the best predictor of future events, we are plumb out of luck.
Posted by: Seen it all | March 9, 2008 02:17 AM
Did any of you read the article? He is quitting because he is tired of working retail.
Nowhere is there any mention of gasoline, rents, the marina...?
Posted by: maria | March 9, 2008 11:41 AM
"He says he might reopen in another location -- parking is difficult at the current store -- "
the above quote is where i heard mention of rent. sounds like finding a new, more desirable location would renew his interest in working retail. unfortunately, paying a $1 a sq ft will not likely work for his business model. brand new shopping centers in major metropolitan areas lease for less than old, outdated spaces rent for in EUREKA! and they have plenty of parking....
Posted by: theo therme | March 9, 2008 03:13 PM